July 17, 2026

Melanie Hamrick , Joanna DeFelice, and Christine Shevchenko brought their exhilarating production, A Night at the Ballet, to Napa for the annual Dance Gala.

The program featured highlights from some of the world’s most beloved classical ballets, including Don Quixote, Diana & Acteon, and Le Corsaire. The evening also included a special appearance by guest artist Nicholas Palmquist, performing in the West Coast premiere of Can’t You Hear Me Knocking, set to the music of The Rolling Stones.

Patron Dinner at Castello di Amorosa

That evening’s Patron Dinner was held at Castello di Amorosa, Dario Sattui’s breathtaking 121,000-square-foot, 13th-century-style Tuscan castle. Its towering walls, open-air courtyard, and medieval architecture set the stage for a night of celebration.

Guests were welcomed onto the Castello’s open-air crush pad where they enjoyed a seasonal dinner paired with estate wines from Castello di Amorosa’s cellars, amid sweeping sunset views across the Diamond Mountain region. As evening fell, the setting came alive with an experience of sight, sound, and movement, an evening of artistry and wonder, and a touch of the unexpected.

Notable attendees:

Joanna DeFelice – Co-producer
Melanie Hamrick – Co-producer
Mick Jagger – Rock Legend
Charles Letourneau – Festival Napa Valley, Vice President, Director of Artistic Planning
Christine Shevchenko – Co-producer
Maria Manetti Shrem – Philanthropist
Rick Walker – Festival Napa Valley, President/CEO
Mauro Aprile Zanetti, Festival Napa Valley, Brand Strategy Consultant and Eva Zanetti, Founder and CEO of Bloom17